Rick Santorum's Antiquated Views On Female Leadership Put America In Peril

First Rick Santorum found himself explaining a comment about women not being emotionally competent to serve in leadership positions in the military.  Then he appeared on ABC’s ‘This Week’ last Sunday, defending his statements in his 2005 book:

“Sadly the propaganda campaign launched in the 1960s has taken root,” Mr. Santorum, or his wife, wrote in the book. “The radical feminists succeeded in undermining the traditional family and convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness.”

Remembering that his book was hotly debated during his awesome 2006 political defeat, Santorum came up with Gloria Steinem as the source of America’s evils. Reflecting on her decision to be a stay-at-home mom, Karen Santorum felt that other women “looked down their nose at that decision.”

This is what Gloria Steinem REALLY, ACTUALLY said about working women: “We also have to re-define work, so that the work of caring for children and doing human maintenance in the home is counted as productive work, and has attributed value.”

Note: her words were radical, but NOT against stay-at-home moms. We lobbied hard for mom’s work to be recognized and valued, and lost EVERY battle in Congress. This is why America is 1 of 3 countries in the world with no legislated family leave policy. The other two countries are Swaziland and Papua, New Guinea.

Israel Debates Role of Women In Israeli Society As Prof Channa Maayan Cannot Accept Prize

If you think it’s only in Saudi Arabia where men and women can’t mix, you’re wrong. Many Israelis also seek to segregate women from men in an Israel that increasingly turns against secularism and women’s rights.

The New York Times writes in Israelis Facing a Seismic Rift Over Role of Women that professor Channa Maayan confronted the reality of a new Israel when she was recently awarded a prize for her book on hereditary diseases common to Jews.

Respecting the fact that the crowd would be mixed from ultra-orthodox to secular Jews, Channa Maayan wore a long-sleeve top and a long skirt. But it was not enough. No one was prepared for the next event — not even us reading this article.

Simply stated, Channa Maayan was not allowed to accept her own prize for scholarship, because in Israel — a country that receives how much foreign aid from America? — she was no longer permitted on stage. Maayan was instructed to have a male colleague accept her prize.

At a time when there is no progress on the Palestinian dispute, Israelis are turning inward and discovering that an issue they had neglected — the place of the ultra-Orthodox Jews — has erupted into a crisis.

And it is centered on women.